UK's deal to hand over Chagos Islands to Mauritius can go ahead, court rules

BBC News

22-05-2025

Update:
Date: 13:01 BST
Title: Government lawyer says 'everybody is standing by' to sign deal
Content: Responding to the High Court judge, Sir James Eadie - the lawyer for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office - says: "My instructions from Number 10 are that we need a decision by 1pm today if we are to sign today, and everybody is standing by."
Update:
Date: 12:58 BST
Title: Agreement can be concluded today, says High Court judge
Content: As we just reported, the UK's Chagos deal has been allowed to continue after a judge discharged an eleventh-hour injunction to block it.
Addressing the High Court, Mr Justice Chamberlain says: "I have concluded that the stay granted by Mr Justice Goose should be discharged and there should be no further interim relief.
"The agreement can be concluded today and it does not necessarily have to be at 9:00."
Update:
Date: 12:49 BST
Title: Court says UK deal to hand over Chagos Islands can go ahead
Content: A High Court judge has lifted an injunction that blocked the government from concluding its negotiations over the Chagos Islands.
We'll bring you more on this shortly.
Update:
Date: 12:43 BST
Title: Judge begins giving judgement on injunction
Content: At the High Court in London, Mr Justice Chamberlain has returned to the courtroom.
He is now giving his judgement over whether to continue the injunction that's blocking the UK from concluding its negotiations over the Chagos Islands.
Update:
Date: 12:40 BST
Title: Conservatives say Chagos deal should be 'ripped up'
Content: As we just reported, the Conservative government began negotiations on the Chagos Islands in 2022.
But the party now opposes the deal to hand over sovereignty to Mauritius.
This morning, shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: "The government should tear up its plans to surrender the Chagos Islands.
"This is a disgraceful surrender of British sovereignty."
Update:
Date: 12:36 BST
Title: How did we get here?
Content: The Chagos Islands were separated from Mauritius in 1965, when Mauritius was still a British colony.
Britain purchased the islands for £3m, but Mauritius says it was illegally forced to give them away, as part of the deal to get independence from Britain.
In the late 1960s, Britain invited the US to build a military base on Diego Garcia, the largest island. It removed thousands of people from their homes.
The UK has come under growing pressure to return the islands to Mauritius, with both the United Nations' top court and general assembly siding with Mauritius over sovereignty claims.
In late 2022, the Conservative government began negotiations, but did not reach an agreement by the time it lost power in 2024.
Update:
Date: 12:33 BST
Title: What is the last-minute legal action?
Content: Chagossians Bertice Pomp (centre, left) and Bernadette Dugasse (centre, right) arriving at the High Court this morning
The legal action was brought by two Chagossian women, Bernadette Dugasse and Bertrice Pompe, who want to return to live on the islands.
Under both the current arrangement, and the proposed new deal, Chagossians are prevented from returning to Diego Garcia - the largest of the islands, and home to the UK-US military base.
Earlier this year, their lawyer Michael Polak said: "The government's attempt to give away the Chagossians' homeland whilst failing to hold a formal consultation with the Chagossian people is a continuation of their terrible treatment by the authorities in the past.
"They remain the people with the closest connection to the islands, but their needs and wishes are being ignored."
A hearing on the case began shortly after 10:30 BST. As reported, the deal was halted at 02:25 this morning.
Update:
Date: 12:21 BST
Title: Welcome to our live coverage of the UK's Chagos Islands deal
Content: Owen AmosLive editor
Chagossian protesters outside the High Court earlier today
The UK wants to hand over control of the Chagos Islands - a British island group in the Indian Ocean - to Mauritius, before leasing back a UK-US military base on the islands.
The deal was expected to be signed today. But at 02:25 BST, Mr Justice Goose granted "interim relief" to two Chagossian women who had brought a case against the Foreign Office.
We'll bring you any updates from the court on this page - so stay with us.